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Omar accused by GOP opponent of opening up the door to massive Minneapolis fraud: ‘Deep, deep ties’

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Republican John Nagel, who is running against Dem. Rep. Ilhan Omar in her Minneapolis district, spoke to Fox News Digital about the responsibility she holds in the unfolding massive fraud scandal that has garnered national headlines.

‘Where did this actually start?’ Nagel told Fox News Digital. ‘She passed legislation. Her legislation actually started and it allowed people to get into Feeding Our Future. If you look at where the fraud is, it’s primarily her [5th Congressional District], the district that I’m running in against her. And it’s really odd to think that you know all the fraud just happened in a particular area, and it was a bill that she, you know, particularly put together.’

Nagel is referring to allegations that the free meals at the center of the massive fraud scandal were made possible by the 2020 MEALS Act, introduced by Omar and passed with bipartisan support. He told Fox News Digital the public deserves to know who helped her craft that legislation.

Members of Omar’s inner circle personally profited from the $1 billion welfare fraud scandal in her district that has placed her Somali constituency under a White House microscope, Nagel said. He also said that Omar held events at one of the restaurants, Safari Land, which was named in the fraud case, knew one of its now-convicted owners and had a staffer who was also convicted.

‘If you look at the Safari Land restaurant, if you’re gonna be in politics, you need to go through the people at the Safari Land restaurant,’ Nagel said. ‘They kind of control the politics. She had all of her fundraising things. I mean, that was sort of her hangout. That’s where she spent money, got donations.’

Guhaad Hashi Said, sometimes referred to as an ‘enforcer’ for Omar’s campaign, is one of the over 70 people who have been indicted for his role in the Feeding Our Future scandal. Nagel told Fox News Digital the public deserves answers on that relationship and what Omar knew about the fraud.

‘There’s a lot of really deep, deep ties,’ Nagel said.

‘I think time will tell with the investigation. But again, there’s just too much circumstantial evidence to look at this and say, she had to have known something, or what staff member knew something?’

The Small Business Administration is investigating a network of Somali groups in Minnesota that it says is tied to the scandal, and a House Oversight Committee has opened an investigation into Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s role.

President Donald Trump last week criticized Omar and blamed the Somali community for the scope of fraud occurring in Minnesota. 

Nagel also asserted that there was a money trail potentially funneled to Omar from her associates tied to the Feeding Our Future fraud scandal, and he said that she has returned some of the money but not all of it.

‘A whole lot of people that were convicted donated a whole lot of money. Omar says that she gave the money back,’ Nagel said. ‘Well, if you go into public records, she gave some money back, but there’s a whole lot more money there that she didn’t report. And I think if people were just to go through the everyday records that are out there, you’ll find out that her involvement in the money that she has is questionable.’

Nagel told Fox News Digital, ‘If she truly cared about the fraud, her name wouldn’t be attached all over to these other people. She came on and she made a statement about how terrible it is to basically steal food from children. Yeah, okay, that’s a really nice thing to say, but you have way too many people that you’re associated with that actually did that. Now she yells racism anytime somebody puts any pressure on her.’

Fox News Digital asked Nagel what can be done to fix the fraud issues. He said, first and foremost, Minnesota must elect a new governor.

‘The things that we can do to fix this is you get yourself a new competent, honest governor, you get yourself a new honest, competent AG,’ Nagel said. ‘We get rid of Ilhan Omar, and we put people in the state of Minnesota that actually want to do the right thing. They’re not in it for the money, they’re in it because they’re great state employees and they’re serving the public. That’s what we’re gonna have to do. You’re gonna have to entirely root the Democratic Party, and then anybody that’s been appointed to a position, we’re gonna have to root them out too, to find out if you know they’ve been letting things slide.’

Nagel described the fraud situation in Minnesota as a ‘cancer’ that will continue to ‘spread’ unless ‘you cut the entire cancer out.’

Fox News Digital reached out to Omar’s office for comment. 

‘I think what happened is that, you know, when you have these kind of new programs that are, um, designed to help people, you’re oftentimes relying on third parties to be able to facilitate. And I just think that a lot of the COVID programs that were set up — they were set up so quickly that a lot of the guardrails did not get created,’ Omar said last week.

Fox News Digital’s Louis Casiano contributed to this report.

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Senate mulls next steps after dueling Obamacare fixes go up in flames

There is still a desire to solve the looming healthcare cliff after dueling votes in the Senate on partisan Obamacare fixes crashed and burned Thursday, but both sides of the aisle are still miles from finding a middle ground.

The enhanced Obamacare subsidies are set to expire by the end of the year, and Congress is gearing up to leave Washington, D.C., at the end of next week until the new year. There are several options on the table, including numerous Senate Republican proposals or just moving ahead with a short-term extension of the subsidies.

But lawmakers have to land on what exactly they want to do, and what could pass the 60-vote filibuster threshold, first.

‘I think the question is, ‘Do the Democrats, after they got their messaging vote done, actually want to engage in a real conversation about this?’’ Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said. ‘Because it didn’t seem like they had a real high level of interest in reforms, but there are some who do. I don’t know if there are enough, but I think we’re going to get a sense of that here very soon.’

Thune echoed what many Republicans in the upper chamber believed: Senate Democrats’ three-year extension of the subsidies was never meant to succeed, but only served as a political messaging exercise.

Still, four Senate Republicans crossed the aisle to vote for Democrats’ plan. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, argued that she voted for both proposals not because both were exactly what she wanted, but because she wanted to get the ball rolling toward a solution.

‘Sometimes around the Senate, we have to demonstrate what we can’t do first before we can get to what we need to do,’ she said. ‘Today was the first step in that process of demonstrating what we can’t do now. Let’s get on with it and fix it.’

Conversely, the GOP’s first attempt wasn’t going to pass muster with Senate Democrats, either. Some in the upper chamber are mulling a short-term extension to the subsidies, be it six months to a year, but that idea doesn’t tackle the several reforms Senate Republicans have demanded for their support.

‘Discussions will continue,’ Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., told Fox News Digital. ‘Both parties are going to find a solution to actually lower the cost of care and put patients in charge and get rid of the waste and the fraud and the abuse and the corruption that has run rampant in Obamacare.’

Whatever happens next will likely be the product of rank-and-file negotiations, not top-level decisions between Thune and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

But there is a growing sense that President Donald Trump should get more involved and dictate exactly what he wants to be done. Trump previously signaled that he wants to move ahead with health savings accounts (HSAs) but in recent weeks has largely stayed an arms’ length away from the Obamacare turmoil in the Senate.

When asked how lawmakers get out of the healthcare jam, Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., told Fox News Digital, ‘We don’t.’

‘Not until Donald Trump decides we get out of it,’ Murphy said. ‘He’s the President of the United States, his party controls the House and the Senate, so the only way we save people from healthcare disasters for Donald Trump, the leader of the Republican Party, is to decide to fix this.’

Republicans still have several options on the table, including a plan from Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., that marries an extension of the subsidies with HSAs and reforms, and a plan from Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, that would extend the credits for two years, among others.

There’s also the possibility that the healthcare fight continues on into the next year and goes through the partisan budget reconciliation process, which Republicans used earlier this year to ram through Trump’s agenda.

While that’s an option, many in the upper chamber acknowledge that the best way forward is working with the other side of the aisle.

‘I would rather do it on a bipartisan basis, because that’s the way that Congress is supposed to work,’ Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., told Fox News Digital. ‘But if Democrats are intent upon sticking people with either higher premiums and/or $6,000 deductible, we got to do something. So it’s not good for the American people.’

While there are lawmakers who hope the failed votes were the springboard forward, and not a dead end, toward tackling the Obamacare issue, Schumer signaled that it was Republicans’ fault that the subsidies would likely expire.

‘This is their crisis now, and they’re going to have to answer for it,’ he said.

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NCAA volleyball Sweet 16 bracket: Friday’s scores, highlights

Sweet 16 action continues in the 2025 NCAA volleyball tournament with a slate of four games on Friday.

No. 1 seed Texas will kick off the day with a matchup against No. 4 Indiana. No. 1 overall seed Nebraska will end the night against No. 4 Kansas after opening the tournament with back-to-back sweeps. The Huskers (32-0) remain undefeated and have only dropped seven sets all year, with the last coming nearly a month ago on Nov. 14 against UCLA.

Speaking of sweeps, No. 1 Kentucky and No. 1 Pittsburgh punched their tickets to the Elite Eight on Thursday. The Wildcats ended Cal Poly’s Cinderella story in straight sets, while Pittsburgh brought out the brooms against Minnesota. Here’s what you need to know about Friday’s schedule and matchups:

SWEET 16 NCAA VOLLEYBALL RECAP: Kentucky, Pittsburgh sweep way to Elite Eight

Set 1: Texas 25, Indiana 20

Texas took the first set after two set points, with Abby Vander Wal landing the deciding point to take the frame. As a team, Texas hit .323 in the set, compared to .162 for Indiana with nine errors. The Hoosiers had several runs to close the game with the Longhorns, but Texas was too much. Torrey Stafford led all players with six kills on .750 hitting.

Texas is the first to 15 in Set 1 against Indiana

The Longhorns reached 15 points behind a huge boost from outside hitter Torrey Stafford, who had five kills and two blocks.

Indiana vs. Texas is underway

The Indiana Hoosiers and Texas Longhorns are in the first set of the first match during Day 2 of the Sweet 16.

NCAA volleyball Sweet 16 continues Friday

Two No. 1 seeds play on Friday, with Texas playing Indiana in the opener. The top overall seed, Nebraska, puts its unbeaten streak on the line against No. 4 Kansas in the nightcap after opening the tournament with back-to-back sweeps.

When is NCAA women’s volleyball Sweet 16?

  • Date: Dec. 11 and Dec. 12
  • Time: Four matches each day, beginning at 1 p.m. ET Thursday and noon ET Friday. Match-by-match times below.

How to watch NCAA volleyball tournament

  • Streaming: ESPN+ ∣ Fubo (free trial)

The 2025 NCAA women’s volleyball tournament will air across the ESPN and ABC family of networks. Games can be streamed ESPN+, ESPN’s subscription streaming service, and Fubo, which offers a free trial to potential subscribers.

NCAA volleyball Sweet 16 schedule: Times, TV

All times Eastern

Thursday, Dec. 11

  • No. 3 Creighton 3, No. 2 Arizona State 1
  • No. 1 Kentucky 3, Cal Poly 0
  • No. 1 Pittsburgh 3, No. 4 Minnesota 0
  • No. 3 Purdue 3, No. 2 SMU 1

Friday, Dec. 12

  • No. 1 Texas vs. No. 4 Indiana, 12 p.m. | ESPN
  • No. 3 Wisconsin vs. No. 2 Stanford, 2:30 p.m. | ESPN
  • No. 3 Texas A&M vs. No. 2 Louisville, 7 p.m. | ESPN2
  • No. 1 Nebraska vs. No. 4 Kansas, 9:30 p.m. | ESPN2

Saturday, Dec. 13

  • No. 3 Creighton vs. No. 1 Kentucky, 5 p.m. | ESPN2
  • No. 1 Pittsburgh vs. No. 3 Purdue, 7:30 p.m. | ESPN2

Sunday, Dec. 14

  • Regional final, TBD
  • Regional final, TBD

When is the NCAA volleyball Final Four in 2025?

  • Dates: Thursday, Dec. 18 and Sunday, Dec. 21

The two semifinal matches in the Final Four of the 2025 NCAA volleyball tournament will take place on Thursday, Dec. 18 and will be broadcast on ESPN. The national championship game is Sunday, Dec. 21 on ABC.

NCAA volleyball second-round results

Lexington bracket

  • No. 1 Kentucky 3, No. 8 UCLA 1 (30-28, 25-16, 28-30, 25-17)
  • No. 3 Creighton 3, No. 6 Northern Iowa 1 (25-18, 23-25, 25-22, 25-21)
  • No. 2 Arizona State 3, Utah State 1 (25-15, 25-18, 22-25, 25-15)
  • Cal Poly 3, No. 4 USC 2 (25-19, 25-20, 20-25, 14-25, 15-7)

Austin bracket

  • No. 4 Indiana 3, No. 5 Colorado 0 (25-20, 25-17, 25-23)
  • No. 3 Wisconsin 3, North Carolina 0 (25-14, 25-21, 27-25)
  • No. 1 Texas 1, No. 8 Penn State 0 (25-16, 25-9, 25-19)
  • No. 2 Stanford 3, Arizona 1 (25-16, 25-27, 25-17, 25-20)

Pittsburgh bracket

  • No. 3 Purdue 3, No. 6 Baylor 1 (25-16, 25-19, 23-25, 25-20)
  • No. 1 Pittsburgh 3, Michigan 0 (25-23, 25-23, 25-18)
  • No. 2 SMU 3, Florida 0 (25-11, 25-21, 26-24)
  • No. 4 Minnesota 3, No. 5 Iowa State 0 (25-22, 25-21, 25-14)

Lincoln bracket

  • No. 4 Kansas 3, No. 5 Miami 1 (25-17, 25-22, 22-25, 27-25)
  • No. 2 Louisville 3, Marquette 2 (21-25, 25-11, 23-25, 25-19, 15-12)
  • No. 1 Nebraska 3, Kansas State 0 (25-17, 25-21, 25-16)
  • No. 3 Texas A&M 3, No. 6 TCU 1 (23-25, 25-23, 25-22, 29-27)

NCAA volleyball first-round results

Lexington bracket

  • No. 1 Kentucky 3, Wofford 0 (25-11, 25-19, 25-12)
  • No. 8 UCLA 3, Georgia Tech 2 (24-26, 25-19, 25-23, 25-18, 15-10)
  • Cal Poly 3, No. 5 BYU 2 (25-19, 17-25, 20-25, 25-20, 15-10)
  • No. 4 USC 3, Princeton 0, (25-19, 25-12, 25-13)
  • No. 3 Creighton 3, Northern Colorado 2 (12-25, 25-23,25-23,17-25, 8-15)
  • No. 6 Northern Iowa 3, Utah 2 (15-25, 21-25, 26-24, 25-20, 15-10)
  • Utah State 3, No. 7 Tennessee 2 (25-19, 25-15, 19-25, 25-18, 15-11)
  • No. 2 Arizona State 3, Coppin State 0 (25-11, 25-14, 25-12)

Austin bracket

  • No. 1 Texas 3, Florida A&M 0 (25-11, 25- 8, 25-14)
  • No. 8 Penn State 3, South Florida 1 (25-23, 12-25, 25-21, 25-19)
  • No. 5 Colorado 3, American 0 (25-16, 25-19, 25-16)
  • No. 4 Indiana 3, Toledo 0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-17)
  • No. 3 Wisconsin 3, Eastern Illinois 0 (25-11, 25-6, 25-19)
  • North Carolina 3, No. 6 UTEP 1 (24-26, 25-11, 25-18, 25-21)
  • Arizona 3, No. 7 South Dakota State 1 (25-21, 22-25, 25-15, 25-15)
  • No. 2 Stanford 3, Utah Valley 1 (21-25, 25-21, 25-13, 25-14)

Pittsburgh bracket

  • No. 1 Pitt 3, UMBC 0 (25-10, 25-17, 25-13)
  • Michigan 3, No. 8 Xavier 0 (25-19, 25-15, 25-23)
  • No. 5 Iowa State 3, St. Thomas-Minnesota 2 (21-25, 25-13, 25-16, 21-25, 15-8)
  • No. 4 Minnesota 3, Fairfield 0 (25-12, 25-7, 25-13)
  • No. 3 Purdue 3, Wright State 0 (25-13, 25-21, 25-19)
  • No. 6 Baylor 3, Arkansas State 2 (23-25, 25-20, 30-28, 23-25, 15-10)
  • Florida 3, No. 7 Rice 0 (27-25, 25-23, 25-19)
  • No. 2 SMU 3, Central Arkansas 0 (25-13, 25-13, 25-13)

Lincoln bracket

  • No. 1 Nebraska 3, Long Island 0 (25-11, 25-15, 25-17)
  • Kansas State 3, San Diego 2 (21-25, 25-17, 26-28, 25-22, 15-12)
  • No. 5 Miami 3, Tulsa 1 (25-22, 13-25, 25-22, 25-20)
  • No. 4 Kansas 3, High Point 0 (25-20, 25-15, 25-18)
  • No. 3 Texas A&M 3, Campbell 0 (25-20, 25-10, 25-13)
  • No. 6 TCU 3, Stephen F. Austin 0 (25-8, 26-24, 25-20)
  • Marquette 3, Western Kentucky 0 (25-22, 25-21, 25-16)
  • No. 2 Louisville 3, Loyola (Illinois) 0 (25-17, 25-9, 25-12)

NCAA volleyball tournament champions

Penn State is the reigning NCAA volleyball champion, having defeated Louisville in four sets last year in the national title game. It was the Nittany Lions’ eighth volleyball championship since 1999.

Here’s a look at the past 10 NCAA volleyball champions:

  • 2024: Penn State
  • 2023: Texas
  • 2022: Texas
  • 2021: Wisconsin
  • 2020: Kentucky
  • 2019: Stanford
  • 2018: Stanford
  • 2017: Nebraska
  • 2016: Stanford
  • 2015: Nebraska

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

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Lindsey Vonn’s World Cup win could change her retirement plan

Lindsey Vonn’s comeback might last a little longer than she initially planned.

To be clear, this is still going to be Vonn’s last season of ski racing. But after winning the World Cup downhill at St. Moritz on Friday, Vonn said she might have to rethink when her season is going to end.

‘I thought I was going to retire after the last race of the Olympics because I wasn’t sure I’d be competitive for a (season) title,’ Vonn said. ‘I think I might need to change my approach.’

The win in the season’s first downhill puts Vonn first in the rankings of that discipline and 16th in the overall standings. Vonn has won eight season titles in downhill, the last in 2016.

Part of Vonn’s motivation for ending her nearly six-year retirement was the Milano Cortina Olympics. Cortina is where she made her first World Cup podium, winning a bronze in the downhill in 2004, and 12 of her 83 wins have come there. Ending her career there, with the super-G on Feb. 12, would be fitting.

Vonn also plans to race the downhill Feb. 8 and team combined Feb. 10.

But there are six speed races after the Olympics, and it will be hard for Vonn to walk away if she’s in contention for a season title. Which she will be if she keeps skiing like she did Friday, winning by almost a full second.

‘Still a couple of mistakes but, in general, I was really happy with the way I skied,’ Vonn said afterward. ‘With the first (race) of the season going this well, I’m very excited about what’s to come.’

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As world fixates on other wars, Sudan sees 12 million forcibly displaced in devastating conflict

While the world’s attention has focused on Russia’s war in Ukraine and Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza, Sudan remains the world’s largest displacement crisis, with some 12 million people driven out of their homes.

‘Sudan is under the darkest of clouds, a catastrophe that has, for far too long, been met with paralysis by the international community,’ Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., chair of the House Foreign Affairs Africa subcommittee, said during his opening statements during a December 11 hearing on crimes against humanity in Sudan.

Smith said the hearing was a global call to action and that there must be an immediate cessation of hostilities between the warring factions.

‘Crimes against humanity — particularly by the Rapid Support Forces — including mass rape, ethnic targeting and systematic looting, must be investigated, and perpetrators held accountable,’ Smith added.

The conflict in Sudan has received renewed attention after President Donald Trump vowed to secure a peace deal in the African nation following his meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in November. 

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization, recently said repeated drone strikes on Dec. 4 in Sudan’s South Kordofan region struck a kindergarten and nearby hospital, killing 114 people, including 63 children.

‘Disturbingly, paramedics and responders came under attack as they tried to move the injured from the kindergarten to the hospital,’ Tedros said in a statement.

Sudan Doctors Network, a medical organization, said the attacks were perpetrated by the Rapid Support Forces.

The conflict in Sudan has been raging since April 2023, when an uneasy alliance between Sudan’s two warring factions, the government-led Sudanese armed forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) collapsed following a tenuous power-sharing agreement struck in 2021. 

Sudan’s army and the RSF had collaborated for years under the previous regime of ousted dictator Omar al-Bashir.

The situation has only escalated since fighting first broke out in 2023 and has not garnered the same level of international effort or outrage that the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza have generated.

‘The war in Sudan has been one of the most gruesome humanitarian catastrophes in world history. However, there has been frequent paralysis by world leaders and international institutions to solve it, in addition to reduced, fluctuating media attention on the conflict,’ Caroline Rose, director of Military and National Security Priorities at New Lines Institute, told Fox News Digital.

‘This could be attributed to the fact that, unlike wars in Ukraine and Gaza, there is not a component of great-power competition or regional contestation,’ she added.

Rose and other observers of the conflict note that there is inhibited ground access, creating challenges not only for journalistic reporting, but also the documentation of war crimes and testimonies. 

The Sudanese armed forces have prevented access to aid workers in territories they control on the basis of sovereignty and have expelled humanitarian workers that had been in the country.

The RSF has also been accused of committing grave human rights violations and reportedly killed over 400 aid workers and patients in October at the Saudi Maternity Hospital in the North Darfur city of El Fasher. The RSF siege of El Fasher caused at least 28,000 people to flee to neighboring towns, and the U.N. Human Rights Office accused the RSF of ‘summary executions, mass killings, rapes, attacks against humanitarian workers, looting, abductions and forced displacement.’

Even as the Trump administration works for a ceasefire between the warring factions, the killings continue. 

Tom Perriello, the former U.S. special envoy for Sudan, said in a September New York Times interview that he believed up to 400,000 have been killed since the outbreak of violence in 2023. A recent article in Foreign Policy put the figure at 100,000 in what it called the ‘forgotten war.’

In addition to the deaths, it’s been estimated by various groups that more than 30 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance and around 21.2 million, or 45% of the population, are facing high levels of acute food insecurity.

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Buccaneers’ coach drops several F-bombs in postgame rant

Todd Bowles’ language was about as colorful as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ ‘Creamsicle’ jerseys.

The Buccaneers dropped their Week 15 ‘Thursday Night Football’ matchup to the Atlanta Falcons 29-28, a walk-off loss after Tampa Bay held a 28-14 lead as the fourth quarter commenced.

With time ticking down, emotions ran high on the sideline. Tampa Bay wide receiver Mike Evans was visibly frustrated even before Zane Gonzalez lined up to take the game-winning kick. Those emotions followed Evans into the locker room, and onto the podium postgame, where Bowles let loose an expletive-laden tirade regarding the collapse.

‘It’s inexcusable, you don’t make excuses,’ Bowles said when asked what his message to the team was after the loss. ‘You gotta (expletive) care enough, where this (expletive) hurts. You gotta (expletive) care enough where this (expletive) hurts.

‘It’s gotta (expletive) mean something. It’s more than a job, it’s your (expletive) livelihood. How well do you know your job? How well can you do your job? You can’t sugarcoat that (expletive). It was in-(expletive)-excusable. There was no (expletive) answer for it. There’s no excuse for it. That’s what you tell them in the locker room. Look in the (expletive) mirror.’

Bowles’ F-bomb count stopped at seven total, which now mirrors the amount of wins and losses the Buccaneers have on the season.

On Friday, Bowles said that the rant came at the heat of the moment, and wasn’t pre-planned.

‘It definitely wasn’t by design. That was how I felt at the time. That was honest, raw and right off the top. Usually my son’s watching, I don’t cuss as much, but I was still pissed off from the time I came in,’ he told reporters during his Friday media availability.

With a 7-7 record, Tampa Bay has given up control of the NFC South to the Carolina Panthers. The two squads play each other twice over the final three weeks of the season. Should the Panthers sweep, they’ll take the division.

The Falcons climb to 5-9 on the season, but were eliminated from NFL playoff contention in Week 14.

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Falcons star apologizes for insensitive comment during postgame

Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson apologized early Dec. 12 for an insensitive remark.

Following the Falcons’ 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Robinson was being interviewed during the Amazon Prime Video postgame show, where he let loose an insensitive and outdated name of a game he used to play when he was younger.

‘Smear the queer, that’s what we do,’ Robinson said. ‘Smear the queer.’

Analyst and former NFL quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick jumped in immediately with a semi-correction of Robinson, dubbing the game ‘kill the carrier,’ the more common name of the backyard game.

Robinson posted an apology on X in the hours after the game.

‘Hey everyone I want to apologize for the insensitive comment I made in the broadcast, it was a football game we used to play as a kid but that’s not an excuse. I recognize the mistake and make sure to do better in the future. It was not reflective of my beliefs and I am so sorry to those I offended seriously!,’ he posted.

The Falcons running back finished the game with 19 carries for 93 yards and a touchdown to pair with eight catches for 82 yards.

The Falcons climbed to 5-9 on the season, while Tampa Bay fell to 7-7, ceding the NFC South division lead to the Carolina Panthers.

What is ‘kill the carrier?’

‘Kill the carrier’ is a schoolyard game played where one person holds a ball – typically a football – while the others attempt to tackle, strip or otherwise remove it from the carrier. It’s played without teams, with an every-man-for-himself focus.

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NFL playoff picture: Bucs’ loss pushes new team into NFC South lead

Every week for the duration of the 2025 regular season, USA TODAY Sports will provide timely updates to the NFL’s ever-evolving playoff picture − typically starting Sunday afternoon and then moving forward for the remainder of the week (through Monday’s and Thursday’s games or Saturday’s, if applicable. And, when the holidays roll around, we’ll be watching then, too).

What just happened? What does it mean? What are the pertinent factors (and, perhaps, tiebreakers) prominently in play as each conference’s seven-team bracket begins to crystallize? All will be explained and analyzed up to the point when the postseason field is finalized on Sunday, Jan. 4.

Here’s where things stand with Week 15 now underway:

NFC playoff picture

1. Los Angeles Rams (10-3), NFC West leaders: They’ve regained the inside track for home-field advantage and a first-round bye by demolishing the Cardinals and benefiting from Chicago’s loss to Green Bay in Week 14. The Rams’ Week 11 defeat of Seattle currently remains pivotal. Beat Detroit on Sunday, and a playoff spot is secured. Remaining schedule: vs. Lions, at Seahawks, at Falcons, vs. Cardinals

2. Green Bay Packers (9-3-1), NFC North leaders: They’re back on top of the division and just a half-game off the conference pace. But the Pack would need to beat Denver and for the Rams and Seahawks to lose in order to rise to the top spot Sunday. Remaining schedule: at Broncos, at Bears, vs. Ravens, at Vikings

3. Philadelphia Eagles (8-5), NFC East leaders: Three losses in a row not only mean a lot more scrutiny but − beware − a team that could still fall into the Cowboys’ clutches in the division if it’s not careful … though Vegas should be a get-right game. Remaining schedule: vs. Raiders, at Commanders, at Bills, vs. Commanders

4. Carolina Panthers (7-6), NFC South leaders: Coming out of their bye week, the Panthers pulled even atop the division over the weekend after the Bucs lost to New Orleans and then took outright possession Thursday night with Tampa Bay’s collapse to Atlanta. But Carolina and the Buccaneers will decide this on the field with two meetings between Weeks 16 and 18. Remaining schedule: at Saints, vs. Buccaneers, vs. Seahawks, at Buccaneers

5. Seattle Seahawks (10-3), wild card No. 1: Sunday’s rout of Atlanta moved them atop the conference … for a few hours. But the Rams’ win at Arizona pushed Seattle back to the wild-card echelon. All three of the ‘Hawks’ losses are against NFC opponents, including two in the division − defeats that don’t serve them well in tiebreaker scenarios. Remaining schedule: vs. Colts, vs. Rams, at Panthers, at 49ers

6. San Francisco 49ers (9-4), wild card No. 2: They’re in a precarious spot given their pursuers, yet are just behind the Rams and Seahawks for the NFC West lead as well. A two-week spin through the AFC South shouldn’t hurt. Remaining schedule: vs. Titans, at Colts, vs. Bears, vs. Seahawks

7. Chicago Bears (9-4), wild card No. 3: How tightly packed is the NFC? One narrow Week 14 loss dropped the Bears from first place in the conference to seventh, just a game ahead of the division rival Lions. Remaining schedule: vs. Browns, vs. Packers, at 49ers, vs. Lions

8. Detroit Lions (8-5), in the hunt: They’re within a game of the NFC’s final wild-card spot and in striking range of first place in the NFC North … even as they sit outside the NFC bracket at present. Remaining schedule: at Rams, vs. Steelers, at Vikings, at Bears

9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7), in the hunt: A fifth loss in their past six games drops them to .500 and into ninth place in the conference. But beat Carolina twice, and the Bucs will still win the NFC South. A 5-5 mark in NFC games keeps Tampa Bay ahead of Dallas on the tiebreaker front. Remaining schedule: at Panthers, at Dolphins, vs. Panthers

10. Dallas Cowboys (6-6-1), in the hunt: Dallas’ best bet now is probably hoping that the Eagles continue to struggle and leave the NFC East in play, the Cowboys’ chances to qualify creeping up to 10% on Monday, per the NFL’s Next Gen Stats. Remaining schedule: vs. Vikings, vs. Chargers, at Commanders, at Giants

AFC playoff picture

1. Denver Broncos (11-2), AFC West leaders: They’ve won 10 in a row, matched New England’s victory total and overtook the Patriots for possession of the top seed last weekend by virtue of a conference record (7-2) that is a half-game better. But Denver has a much tougher finishing stretch. Remaining schedule: vs. Packers, vs. Jaguars, at Chiefs, vs. Chargers

2. New England Patriots (11-2), AFC East leaders: The first team in the league to reach 11 wins thanks to Week 13’s rollover of the Giants, the Pats remain in a very tight race with Denver, the teams’ airtight tiebreakers now in effect following the Patriots’ off week. New England will officially wrap up its division by sweeping the Bills on Sunday. Remaining schedule: vs. Bills, at Ravens, at Jets, vs. Dolphins

3. Jacksonville Jaguars (9-4), AFC South leaders: They claimed first place outright by smashing the depleted Colts on Sunday in Duval County. The Texans now loom as the bona fide threat. Remaining schedule: vs. Jets, at Broncos, vs. Colts, at Titans

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6), AFC North leaders: They jumped up five spots, from out of the field back into the division lead by winning at Baltimore on Sunday. Remaining schedule: vs. Dolphins, at Lions, at Browns, vs. Ravens

5. Los Angeles Chargers (9-4), wild card No. 1: They’ve won five of six after surviving the Eagles on Monday night. A one-win advantage in AFC games (7-2) moved them ahead of Buffalo. Remaining schedule: at Chiefs, at Cowboys, vs. Texans, at Broncos

6. Buffalo Bills (9-4), wild card No. 2: Massive win over Cincinnati solidified their playoff standing heading into a notable showdown at Foxborough in Week 15 to face the AFC East-leading Pats. Remaining schedule: at Patriots, at Browns, vs. Eagles, vs. Jets

7. Houston Texans (8-5), wild card No. 3: They’ve won six of seven, including five in a row. Beating the Chiefs at Arrowhead moved Houston into a wild-card slot by virtue of its Week 13 defeat of Indianapolis. Remaining schedule: vs. Cardinals, vs. Raiders, at Chargers, vs. Colts

8. Indianapolis Colts (8-5), in the hunt: Now out of the projected playoff field and maybe soon in the hands of 44-year-old QB Philip Rivers, they face a steep climb back to relevance − their 7-1 start already starting to seem like ancient history. And the Colts’ schedule doesn’t let up the rest of the way. Remaining schedule: at Seahawks, vs. 49ers, vs. Jaguars, at Texans

9. Baltimore Ravens (6-7), in the hunt: Consecutive losses − and to AFC North foes (Bengals, Steelers) − has them on the outside looking in. At least a 4-5 record in AFC games places them ahead of K.C. and Miami in the three-way tiebreaker. Remaining schedule: at Bengals, vs. Patriots, at Packers, at Steelers

10. Kansas City Chiefs (6-7), in the hunt: Their chances to win a 10th straight AFC West title are officially null and void. And Sunday night’s loss to Houston means they’ll likely miss the postseason for the first time since 2014 − Andy Reid’s second year in K.C. And don’t forget they’ve lost to the Broncos, Chargers, Bills, Texans and Jags, who are all ahead of them. Lose to the Bolts on Sunday, and the Chiefs could be eliminated. Remaining schedule: vs. Chargers, at Titans, vs. Broncos, at Raiders

11. Miami Dolphins (6-7), in the hunt: They probably need to win the remainder of their games to even have a shot at postseason qualification but notched another one Sunday in New York. Remaining schedule: at Steelers, vs. Bengals, vs. Buccaneers, at Patriots

12. Cincinnati Bengals (4-9), in the hunt: They basically need to win the remainder of their games to even have a shot at postseason qualification … though they probably have a better one than Miami by virtue of living in this year’s surprisingly subpar AFC North. Remaining schedule: vs. Ravens, at Dolphins, vs. Cardinals, vs. Browns

NFL playoff-clinching scenarios for Week 15

Denver clinches a playoff berth with:

  1. Win OR
  2. Houston loss or tie + Indianapolis loss or tie (but not if both teams tie) OR
  3. There are also multiple scenarios that involve a Broncos tie combined with losses and/or ties by other teams

New England clinches AFC East title with:

▶ Win

New England clinches playoff berth with:

  1. Houston loss or tie + Indianapolis loss or tie (but not if both teams tie) OR
  2. There are also multiple scenarios that involve a Patriots tie combined with losses and/or ties by other teams

Los Angeles Rams clinch a playoff berth with:

▶ Win

NFL teams eliminated from playoff contention in 2025

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Politics

Why the US could snatch a Venezuelan tanker — and not under ‘wartime’ authority used in cartel strikes

The Trump administration is relying on a sharply different legal justification for seizing a Venezuelan oil tanker than striking alleged narco-traffickers, even if both moves are intended to ramp up pressure on Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.

Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday framed the U.S. seizure of a Venezuelan crude oil tanker as a straightforward sanctions enforcement action rooted in a federal court warrant. Bondi said the tanker, long sanctioned for moving illicit Venezuelan and Iranian oil in support of foreign terrorist organizations, was taken into custody by the Coast Guard with help from the War Department after investigators executed a warrant off the coast of Venezuela.

A senior administration official told Fox News the sanctions designation is the sole legal basis for seizing the ship — not the armed-conflict authority the administration has invoked to justify kinetic strikes on drug-trafficking vessels. The distinction highlights the administration’s reliance on two very different legal frameworks in the same region: traditional sanctions and forfeiture statutes for the tanker, and a contentious assertion of wartime authority against drug cartels for the maritime strikes.

The tanker, known as the Skipper, has been on a U.S. sanctions list for several years for allegedly moving crude tied to a clandestine Venezuela–Iran oil network that Washington says helped generate revenue for foreign terrorist organizations. 

According to officials, that designation rendered the vessel ‘blocked property’ under U.S. law, allowing the Justice Department to seek and obtain a federal warrant to seize it under civil forfeiture statutes. That process — rooted in domestic law and executed through a U.S. court — is the basis for Thursday’s operation, administration officials said.

While the administration argues the seizure is fully authorized under U.S. sanctions and forfeiture law, the use of domestic legal authorities to detain a foreign vessel on the high seas historically has generated debate in maritime law circles, particularly when the ship is not under the U.S. flag. The allegation that the Skipper was stateless or fraudulently flagged could prove significant in that debate.

If true, ‘the U.S. could treat this vessel as ‘stateless’ and subject to seizure since it is otherwise acting in violation of U.S. law,’ law professor Julian Ku told Fox News Digital. ‘That would be the strongest legal basis.’

Under the sanctions framework, the government is not claiming battlefield authority or self-defense powers. Instead, officials are relying on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and related OFAC regulations, which allow the U.S. to target property linked to sanctioned entities, even when that property is located abroad. 

A senior administration official emphasized that this is the only legal theory the government is using for the Skipper seizure and said it carries none of the Article II wartime arguments the administration has invoked to justify its strikes on cartel boats in international waters.

The result is a civilian enforcement action carried out with help from the military, alongside a separate military campaign premised on the assertion that the United States is ‘at war’ with foreign drug cartels. But both efforts are rooted in what onlookers believe to be the president’s intended goal: pressuring Maduro to step down from power.

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Sports

Why it takes years and secrets to make Army-Navy Game uniforms

  • The special uniforms for the Army-Navy Game are a tradition that involves years of planning and research.
  • Each academy works with its apparel company to create intricate designs that honor military history.
  • The uniform designs are kept a closely guarded secret until they are revealed to the players and public.

What will be on the field for the 2025 Army-Navy Game is four years in the making.

It’s one of the many aspects that makes the battle of service academies one of the great traditions in college football — the uniforms.

Special uniforms for the game started modestly in 2008, but have become a spectacle with intricate designs for both sides since 2012. 

It’s a history lesson in a helmet, jersey and pants, with both branches typically paying respect to the people and moments that defined the U.S. military. Army and Navy aren’t just trying to beat each other on the field, but in the uniform game. 

Alternate uniforms are nothing new in college football; nearly every team has different looks and endless combinations to put out on the field. 

But none of them compare to Army-Navy. Because these uniforms involve years of planning, research, execution and hiding to pull off — resulting in a beautiful piece of storytelling that will again be on display when the Black Knights and Midshipmen take the field for the 126th meeting Saturday, Dec. 13 at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. 

“We want everything to be perfect,” Navy athletic director for equipment operations Greg Morgenthaler told USA TODAY Sports.

Coming up with the uniform

The process to design the uniform for the Army-Navy Game begins two years before, with each academy meeting with their respective apparel company. Army has Nike and Navy has Under Armour

However, the 2025 game is special. In 2021 when planning the 2023 uniforms, Morgenthaler recalled letting Under Armour know 2025 marks the 250th anniversary of the Naval Academy. So Under Armour had some time to think about this year’s uniforms, and plans were finalized around June 2024, 18 months before the game. Both teams decided on honoring 250th anniversaries of their branch.

From there, the apparel companies get to work. The first part is doing the research to determine what should be included in the uniform and is accurately depicted. Then a mood board is created with images and colors the teams want to draw inspiration from. After that, a toolkit for branding is created for other apparel.

All throughout the process, the academies are doing their own work. Army director of football equipment Thomas Cancalosi said the history department looks into its own research to make sure things are accurate. Both Army and Navy noted the apparel companies stay in touch through the entire process to not only make sure it looks good, but it makes sense. There’s been times where designs along the way were a little extreme, Morgenthaler said, but the final product always has the team excited.

For Navy, this year’s uniform is inspired by the USS Constitution, the only remaining of the six frigates that made up the first fleet. The washed blue primary color comes from the uniform of sailors and the copper helmet represents the copper sheathing of the ship, the tradition of coins being placed under the mast and the Save ‘Old Ironsides’ Campaign in 1924 when students across the country donated pennies to fund the restoration of the USS Constitution. Those are just a few of the several elements involved in each team’s uniform.

“You want to make sure that everything you put on a uniform or in a design has a meaning and has a purpose, not just because it looks cool,” said Colby Smith, Under Armour graphic designer for team sports. “We go into the design itself and have some checkpoints along the way, and usually we’ll go through about two to three revisions of the uniform before it’s finally signed off.”

Once the uniform is approved, then comes arguably the hardest part: keeping it a secret.

Keeping the secret

About two miles away from the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland sits a warehouse. Starting in late August, it becomes another top secret military base, but there aren’t any documents coming in. 

It’s the gear for the Army-Navy Game, but it might as well be classified files. For all of the work that goes into creating the uniform, it takes just as much — if not more — to make sure it doesn’t get out before intended. 

The circle of trust is small on the project. Smith said about eight to 10 people at Under Armour know about it and don’t reveal it with people not involved. 

“Loose lips sink ships, so we try and keep all the ships afloat,” he said.

The same goes at Navy and Army. The equipment staff has to do their best to ensure there isn’t a leak and they’re the only ones that know what the look is. In a way, they are the most powerful people in the program.

“You really got to trust the people that work with you, that they’re not going to open up their mouths and not going to take pictures,” Morgenthaler said. “There’s a lot of hiding.”

The players don’t help with that either. From the moment summer camp starts, Morgenthaler and Cancalosi said they are constantly asked about them. Team members want to know what the theme will be or what they look like. 

It happens at least once a day in West Point as the anticipation continues to build toward release day. 

“They’ll try to get it out of you,” Cancalosi said. “But it’s been seven years for me now here, and they haven’t gotten out of me yet.”

The reason for it to remain kept behind closed doors is mainly neither team wants the public to get eyes on it. It’s meant for the academies and for when they want to show their teams and fan base. The last thing anyone wants is someone to leak something with such a special meaning.

All of the secrecy eventually pays off. Just a few weeks before the game comes the exciting part. The teams gather and are presented the story for their uniform. After learning about it, it is revealed for the players, a moment that always draws excitement. Seeing the reactions is what Morgenthaler said is “probably the best part” of his job.

Making the military proud

While the college football world will get to see the uniforms on the field and be wowed at all the details, it’s important to remember it’s not really for them. Cancalosi said the ultimate goal is to get the approval of everyone that was, is or going to be a soldier, including those on the field. 

He noted this year’s uniforms, which are marble to represent the headstones at Arlington National Cemetery and have purple outlined numbers for George Washington’s military badge of merit, which became the Purple Heart, truly represents the ultimate sacrifice every soldier gives in their service.

“The people who are in the United States Army, if they are proud of the product that we’ve created, then we’ve done our job to the fullest,” he said.

It’s the same mindset at the apparel companies, which is why Smith calls it an “honor and a privilege” to be part of such a unique project. It’s a long process with so many details to execute, but it’s rewarding to see how proud the players and academies are of it.

It won’t be long after the game is over when the process starts all over again. The uniforms and theme for the 2026 game are already set, so it’s 2027 currently being worked on. Just like all iterations of the game, no one plans to reveal any detail of what will come, other than Smith noting Under Armour always tries to one up itself.

But we do know it will be an extraordinary way to tell the story of Army and Navy. There’s no other game like it, and the long journey it takes for the uniform to appear on the field is what makes Morgenthaler call it “the coolest looking show on TV.”

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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